Soccer Celebrates Senior Day with First Meeting Against FGCU

OPENING KICK: App State soccer looks for its fourth consecutive shutout as they host FGCU on Sunday at 12 p.m. at The Valley. It's senior day for the Mountaineers, featuring a pregame ceremony to honor nine App State graduates at approximately 11:10 a.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
APP STATE LAST TIME OUT: The App State defense shut down High Point on their way to a clean sheet and a 0-0 draw Sunday afternoon. Mountaineers' goaltender Kerry Eagleston had a stellar second half as she recorded four saves in the half, including one in the 89th minute to preserve the shutout. The defense was also stellar holding High Point without a shot until the 37th minute. Izzi Wood led the team with seven shots in the contest, three of them being on goal.
 
ABOUT FGCU: The Eagles are 2-1-1 this season, most recently settling for a 1-1 draw at High Point on Thursday. Prior to that, the Eagles knocked off American Conference opponent USF at home, 2-0, on Sunday, after opening the year with a 1-0 loss against Iowa and a 4-0 win against Texas A&M- Corpus Christi. Erika Zschuppe and Kendal Gargiula have each scored twice for the eagles this season, while Ashley Labbe and Grace Paradis lead the Eagles with seven shots, both also leading in shots on goal with four apiece. Last season the Eagles finished the year 12-6-2 and 8-1-1 in ASUN play.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Sunday marks the first all-time meeting between the Mountaineers and the Eagles.
 
DOMINANT DEFENSE: In the first 4 games of the season App State has only allowed 1 goal, recording 3 straight shutouts, while only allowing 16 shots on goal in the process. The Mountaineers rank 17^th in the nation (out of 336 teams) in goals-against average at .250, and are one of just 23 teams nationwide to have allowed one goal or fewer this season through at least four games played. Dating back to a 25^th minute goal conceded in the season-opener against Wake Forest, the Mountaineers defense has not allowed a goal in the subsequent 335 minutes of play.

SUPER SUN BELT: Through two weeks of play this season, the Sun Belt has been one of the most impressive conferences in college soccer, with its members boasting a record of 35-11-10, and a winning percentage of .714. Only the Ivy League (14-2-6, .773) and the SEC (34-6-13, .764) have had more success than the Sun Belt so far this year.

BETWEEN THE PIPES: Fifth year goalkeeper Kerry Eagleston has been a mainstay between the pipes for the Mountaineers, playing and starting in 77 games across five seasons. Following three consecutive shutouts, Eagleston has moved into a tie for second place on the program's career shutout list, with 21. Eagleston also ranks third in program history in career saves with 367.
 
Additionally, Eagleston is tied for ninth in the nation with three shutouts to her credit this season, while ranking 19^th nationally with a save percentage of 0.938 on the year. Last season she led the Sun Belt in saves (93), while ranking third in save percentage (.809), fifth in shutouts (6), and seventh in goals against average (1.166).
 
THE KERRY COUNTER:
Career Shutouts:
1. 24, Breland Meany...................................................2001-2004
2. 21, Caroline Clarke................................................. 2007-2010
    21, Kerry Eagleston ..............................................2019-present
4. 14, Megan Roebrson ...............................................2012-2015
 
Career Saves:
1. 375 Kelley Guinn ..................................................... 1994-1996
2. 369 Breland Meany...................................................2001-2004
3. 367 Kerry Eagleston................................................2019-present
4. 319 Caroline Clarke.................................................. 2007-2010

UP NEXT: App State will hit the road on Thursday as they travel to Cullowhee, N.C. to take on Western Carolina at 7 p.m. The Catamounts are 2-1-2 so far this season after battling Sun Belt member Georgia State to a 2-2 draw on Thursday, in a match where three of the four goals were scored in the final 10 minutes of play. It will be the 16^th meeting all-time between App State and Western Carolina.